To honor the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the anniversary of his birthday is commemorated as the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, which falls on January 19 this year. All across the nation, millions of Americans will help aid their neighbors and their communities by volunteering. Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, is asking people …
Farm Bureau Supports Military Veteran Farmers
The American Farm Bureau annual meeting in San Diego featured a workshop for convention attendees on why creating effective mentorship relations for veteran farmers is so important. “Dedicated, Disciplined and Determined” highlighted some of the work of the Farmer Veteran Coalition. According to Michael O’Gorman, executive director of the Farmer Veteran Coalition, a few years ago there were more than …
Potato Growers Select 2015 NPC Leadership
At the National Potato Council’s (NPC) 2015 Annual Meeting, held January 9-10, 2015, in Orlando, Florida, Dan Lake from Lake Seed, Inc. of Ronan, Mont., was elected to serve as NPC’s president for 2015 and to lead the council’s Executive Committee. NPC delegates also approved Jim Tiede from American Falls, Idaho, as First Vice President and Vice President of the …
Iowa Poultry & Egg Industry Adds New Leader
The Iowa Egg Council and Iowa Poultry Association have hired Randy Olson as executive director. Olson will navigate the state’s poultry and egg industry through a changing environment as it adjusts to new food safety standards and other requirements. “In a national search, Randy Olson rose to the top with his strong background in agriculture and vast array of experiences …
Free Center for Food Integrity Webinar Series
A free webinar series from The Center for Food Integrity (CFI) explores how the agriculture and food industries can effectively communicate complex technical and scientific information to a public that often doesn’t accept what scientific consensus says is true. The series of six hour-long webinars, which begin Thursday, January 15, are based on CFI’s new consumer trust research, “Cracking the …
Foundation for Agriculture’s Book of the Year
The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture presented its eighth annual “Book of the Year” award to Margaret McNamara for “The Apple Orchard Riddle.” In this playful and humorous story, the students learn a lot about apples and apple orchards – including how apples are harvested, how cider is made, and what the different varieties of apples are – while …
Contamination Prevention at Beltwide Cotton
Earlier this week the 2015 Beltwide Cotton Consultants Conference took place in San Antonio, TX. One of the hot topics discussed during the event was contamination prevention. Dale W. Thompson, National Cotton Council, spoke to the group in attendance about the potentially growing problem. Dale said this is no new problem for cotton growers and has a huge impact on …
‘My American Farm’ Reaches 1.5 million Youth
The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has announced that it has reached more than 1.5 million school-age youths through its educational “My American Farm” program. In 2015, the web-based resource will have a new look to improve the user experience thanks to continued support from DuPont Pioneer. “Over the past four years, we have reached more than a million …
National Ag Day Poster Art Contest Winner
The Agriculture Council of America (ACA) and Meredith Agrimedia encouraged young artists to celebrate modern agriculture through the 3rd Annual National Ag Day Poster Art Contest. A winning original piece of art has been chosen as the Official National Ag Day poster. Congratulations to Clinton Walker, Kansas City Art Institute, for being selected as the winner of the contest. Walker …
Crop Protection Helps Growers Produce Nutritious Food
A recent report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirms that over 99 percent of fresh and processed food available to consumers tested below allowable pesticide residue levels, allowing for continued access to affordable and nutritious food across the country. Released on December 19, 2014 by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), the 23rd Pesticide Data Program (PDP) Annual …